


Charley's Turtles

by Absolute_Fool



Category: Merrily We Roll Along - Sondheim/Furth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 18:37:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20262682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absolute_Fool/pseuds/Absolute_Fool
Summary: In the middle of his divorce, Frank asks Charley for some advice on how to continue pushing through when you feel like crap.





	Charley's Turtles

Charley lowered the heat on the stove and stirred the dish. Evelyn opened the cupboard, pulling out 5 plates and the baby's bowl and placing them down on the table. The baby, who was already in his chair, let out a noise and smacked his little plastic bowl down a few times.

"Set an extra place." Charley said.

"Mary?" Evelyn asked, reaching into the cupboard for another plate.

"Frank." Charley said.

Evelyn sorta grumbled and went back to he cupboard, taking down glasses.

"Look, the divorce case is hard on him. he's been living off cereal canned meat since Beth left." Charley said.

"And it's not your fault that he won't learn how to cook."

"I think that if he eats some real food, if he gets to be around people, if he showed that people care about him, he'll feel a lot better. He's in an awful place right now, Eva." Charley said, "Besides, he's a good guest. He helps cleans up. He makes the kids laugh."

"He makes you laugh." Evelyn said.

Charley rolled his eyes, "Well maybe it is self centered. But if we can have your friends over twice a week, I can have Frank over every now and then. But in all honesty, i invited him over because he's wallowing in self pity and it's hard to watch."

"You're too soft for your own good." Evelyn mumbled.

"I know how you feel about him." Charley said, "Just be nice."

"I will." Evelyn said.

"You always are." Charley said, "I'll round up the girls, mind keeping this from lighting on fire?"

Evelyn nodded and took the spoon. Charley went into the living room. The girls were all huddled into their favorite corner, drawing with thick crayons on paper.

"Dinner time. Go wash your hands." Charley said, kneeling down by them.

They all whined.

"I wanna keep drawing." One cried.

"After dinner you can draw all you want." Charley said.

The other handed him a paper. It was something, he couldn't tell what. he smiled.

"What is it?" He said, standing up as the girls finally put their things down and began to stand up.

"Its a dog." She said.

"I'll put it on the fridge." Charley said, "Now, come on."

The girls rushed off and Charley returned to the kitchen, hanging the drawing up next to the others on the fridge.

"What's that one?" Evelyn said, turning to look.

"A dog." Charley said, "Oh, the other day, they all piled into my office right after you left for work and attempted to pitch getting a dog."

Evelyn laughed, "What'd you tell them?"

"That we can't have a dog in this building, but that I'll ask my brother if I can bring them over to meet his beagle. They're not happy." Charley said, going to the sink and washing his hands.

Evelyn chuckled and took the rice off the heat, "Next week it'll be horses."

"We just outta expose them to the things they're suddenly so into. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with turtles for a while. Its all I talked about. It drove my family crazy." Charley chuckled, "My older brothers brought me to a pet shop ran by a friend, against my parents' wishes, and I held a turtle and cried because it was terrifying. Stopped talking about turtles for a while."

"And that ended it right? didn't make it a silent but well known obsession. You don't have that turtle in your office?" Evelyn said.

"No, we're collectively imagining that." Charley said, "Speaking of, I need to buy worms."

"For yourself or the turtle?" Evelyn said.

"For you if you don't stop being mean." Charley laughed.

There was a knock on the door and girls scurried into the kitchen.

"Someone's at the door, daddy!"

"That must be him." Charley said, exiting out into the living room and to the door. He unlocked it and opened it.

Frank stood, looking awful but well dressed, arms crossed against his chest. He looked tired.

Charley welcome him in and the two threw their arms around eachother.

"Heya, pal." Charley said.

"Hey, Charley." Frank said, squeezing him tight, "God, it's good to see you."

Charley rested his head on Frank's shoulder for a bit, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright." Frank said, sorta nudging him away. "Thank you for inviting me over."  
  
The two entered into the kitchen and the girls all waved and cheered.

"Uncle Frank!"

"Hey, kiddies."

Evelyn was getting the food out of the oven. Charley poured them all some water.

"Evening, Mrs. Kringas." Frank said, sitting down as the girls all got off their seats to excitedly talk to him.

Charley chuckled, "Girls sit back down."

"But-"

"We talk during dinner." Charley said.

The girls all groaned or sighed and took their seats. Frank was holding back laughter.

"Charley, should we get the wine out?" Evelyn said.

"Frank, do you want wine?" Charley asked.

"If you two do." Frank said.

"Definitely." Evelyn said, grabbing a bottle of wine.

"Can I have wine?" One of the girls said.

Frank laughed.

"No." Charley said, "This is just for Mommy."

"And Daddy if he wasn't so responsible." Evelyn giggled.

"How dare I be responsible?" Charley said, grabbing the wine glasses down as Evelyn brought the food to the table.

"Fear not, Mr. Shepard." Evelyn said, "Charley cooked this."

"Do you want soda water in your wine?" Charley asked.

"what?" Frank said.

Evelyn sat down, "I will."

Charley opened the soda water and poured some into her wine glass, taking his seat.

Evelyn served up the rice, Charley turned to the baby and took his bowl away, he took him out of the seat and sat him on his lap.

"Are you feeding him tonight?" Evelyn said.

"He's already been fed." Charley said, "I just want him to be here, get used to being around so many people."

"These are.. hand meat pies." Evelyn said, "What are they called again, Charley?"

"Empanadas." Charley said, "They were supposed to just be the appetizer, but I didn't realize how late it was when I started making them-- oh, and the rice is just boxed, because I was worried there wasn't going to be enough food, I'm sorry."

"Relax, Charley." Evelyn said, pouring the wine.

"It's good." Frank said.

"Thank you."

"Mommy can I have more rice?"

"Eat your pie first." Evelyn said.

"I think he's falling asleep." Charley sighed, standing up with the baby, "I'm going to get him to sleep, I'll be back."

Charley left the room and returned some while later, after getting the baby to sleep. He washed his hands and took his seat again. He wasn't hungry much, be hadn't been, so he just sipped at his water and sat back, watching Frank.

The girls were almost all done now. One tugging on Evelyn's sleeve.

"Can I go now?" She said.

"Yes, sweetie." Evelyn said.

The girl hopped off the chair and left the room. The other girls did as well soon enough. The adults were slower.

"Are you not eating, tonight?" Evelyn asked.

"You know I snack while I cook." Charley chuckled.

Evelyn stood up, grabbing her and the girls' plates and putting them in the sink, "You cooked too much, Charley."

"I usually do." Charley said. "Leave them in the sink, I'll wash them."

She nodded and left the room.

Frank looked up at Charley, "You've gone soft, Mr. Kringas."

"I have not!" Charley said, "She works 10 hours a day, no reason to add to that."

Frank smiled, "Thank you for inviting me over-- it was quite good by the way."

"I'll wrap some leftovers in foil for you if you want to take some home. Just pop 'em in the oven for 10 minutes." Charley said. "We have so much.'

"That'd be wonderful." Frank said.

Charley grinned and stood up, getting the foil out. Frank turned and watched him.

"How do you do all this?" Frank said.

"What do you mean?" Charley said, turning back to the table and wrapping up some of the leftovers.

"Handle 4 kids, do the cooking, the cleaning, and write and remain sane?" Frank said, "It's impressive."

"I keep myself busy." Charley said.

"I know how you can get though." Frank goes.

"When I'm that way nowadays, I just keep myself busy. Keep my mind off it." Charley said. "It's not the easiest, but it works."

"I just don't get it." Frank said, "How you're able to just… get through it."

"Ah.." Charley said, "That type of it."

Frank sighed, "I don't get it."

"Let me clean up." Charley said, taking the rest of the dishes to the sink, popping the food in the fridge, "We can talk."

"You're a saint." Frank said, chuckling. He stood up and helped Charley with the dishes.

Later, the two sat in Charley's office. Frank stood, looking down at the aquarium, head tilted. Charley sat at his desk, chair turned around to face him.

"What's in here?"

"Reeves' Turtle." Charley said.

"I thought you didn't like animals?" Frank said.

"He gives me company." Charley said, "Gives me a hobby too- that's another thing, hobbies. I've got my work, I've got my family, and I have my turtle."

"I have my work.. I have Frankie sometimes." Frank said.

"Get a hobby then." Charley said, "I could bring you up with me next time I go up to Mass to sail!"

"I don't what it is." Frank said, taking a seat.

Charley sighed, "Frank, you know how it is with me. There are days when I wake up and I stare at my ceiling and Evelyn's sound asleep next to me and my head is spinning because I cannot deal with it. I just can't. Its overwhelming and I'm stressed and the past and the future and the present are all eating up at me and I'm just so tired or burnt out. And then I get so worked up over it, because if I don't force myself up, my kids aren't gonna have breakfast, and my wife is going to be running late, and I'm going to be an awful father and husband. That feels worse than anything my brain can do to itself. And if I freeze on that thought, if I fixate on it, it just gets worse. So I force myself up, probably not getting dressed, and I do the best I can. I put cereal in bowls instead of cooking eggs, I put the TV on for the girls instead of the normal little lessons I give them, and honestly I probably start hyperventilating when my son throws his food on the floor."

Charley pulled his chair over to the tank, looking in.

"Its not that simple." Frank said, "I have responsibilities too I just.. can't do them. I can't bring myself to. I feel bad about them but it doesn't matter, I still just can't bring myself to. I feel worse and it just keeps adding up."

"I get that." Charley said, "That's why I have the turtle. Sometimes Frank, I can barely function. There are days that even the nerves that I put myself through will not do anything to help me. There are days that Evelyn has to take charge of the kids or she has to call her sister up and drop them off, because I can't do it. I just can't. Those days happen. But do you know what this turtle does? This turtle makes me do something. Evelyn can't deal with the turtles, she'll kill them. The turtles could make the girls sick. I'm the only person on Earth who can deal with these turtles. And so even if I'm worse off than I ever have been, I come in here and I sit with my turtles. I take care of them and then I just with them. That's the hobby you need. You need to have something that makes you know that you are important, that you are valuable to the world."

Frank just glanced up at him, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Charley."

"Come here." Charley said, "Come look at him swim."

Frank sighed and stood up, standing next to where Charley was sitting. Charley reached over and held Frank's arm as he watched the turtle.

"Did you name him?" Frank said after a while.

"No." Charley said.

"No name whatsoever?" Frank said.

"Whenever I think of a good name, it has to become a character name." Charley said, scooting over to allow for Frank to sorta half sit down.

"Zoltan." Frank said, as he did that half sitting down.

"What?" Charley said.

"Name him Zoltan."

"Why Zoltan?"

"Why not?"

Charley chuckled, "Zoltan..."

"So what are you trying to tell me?" Frank said, "That I should get a turtle?"

"No." Charley said, "Not necessarily a turtle. I just like turtle an irrational amount. I got the turtle because I like turtles not because I need to validate my self worth, that just comes along with it. I mean a hobby or something does the same to you."

"That's the thing, Charley, I don't know what." Frank said. "I don't have weird little passions like you do. I don't have sailing or turtles or what.s I have music and that's work."

Charley put an arm around him and pulled him close, "You like going out, don't you? Your buddies, your friends, your parties? You're a sociable guy. Why can't that be it? Why can't being your best self to everyone around you be your turtle. I mean look at you, you feel like shit, but I invite you over and you're dressed up nice and you're putting effort into it all. People are your turtles."

Frank kissed him on the cheek, "'people are your turtles.' you're baffling."

"You know what I mean." Charley said.

"I do, it's just.. a weird way to say it." Frank said, standing up, "People.. you're telling me to be with people."

"I'm not a psychiatrist, I don't know if it'll really help you out of where you are." Charley said. "But it might. You should probably talk to a-"

"Oh, here he goes again." Frank said.

"I know how you feel about psychiatrists, but you've never seen one. I've been seeing them for 11 years, and it's worth a try, isn't it? You can't just.. force yourself through stuff alone."

"I'm not alone!" Frank said, "I've got you and Mary and everyone else!"

Charley stood up, "It'll help."

"I'm not crazy, Charley."

Charley huffed, "I'm not saying you are."

"I'm in the middle of a divorce, that's it." Frank said. "As long as you and Mary are gonna be here for me I don't need some quack telling me that everything is wrong with me."

Charley shook his head, "If that's what you think."

"It is what I think." Frank said, "Don't mean to be rude, I just despise when you bring that up."

"I'm sorry." Charley said.

"Thank you." Frank said.

Frank paced to the bookshelf and perused it. Charley stood up, joining him.

"I think I should go home." Frank said.

"I agree." Charley said.

"Are you free tommorow evening?" Frank said.

"Presumably." Charley said.

"I'm gonna try to get Mary and we can all go out for drinks." Frank said. "I think you're right about people being my turtles."

"Frank, I-" Charley said.

"Goodnight." Frank said, leaving.

"Fine." Charley mumbled, taking a seat again.

He sat down and looked at Zoltan. It was a good name.

**Author's Note:**

> I just feel like Charley would have a pet turtle. That's the entire reason this was written. Charley likes turtles and giving bad advice.


End file.
